BrazilHow are the Brazilian's after the departure of the young talent?

With Vinicius still waiting to debut with Real Madrid in an official match, and with his more than possible premiere with Castilla, the question that arises is whether he should have agreed to stay another year at Flamengo.

With the debate as open as the reality that looms on the horizon, the truth is that Vinicius is in Madrid and his time of adaptation and his good work within the field will depend on the progression of the young player.

But how are Flamengo adapting themselves, now that he is no longer there?

Third in the league

Vinicius' departure broadly hasn't changed Flamengo's game.

However, they have lost an incisive striker who excited the crowds.

His absence has seen the Brazilian's at third place in the league, with 37 points and in the absence of the match that will be played this morning, they remain only four points from Porto Alegre International (2nd) and Sao Paolo, the current leader.

It's not a positive situation, because before Vinicius left, Flamengo were top of the table.

Almost out of the Copa Libertadores

Last year they lost in the final of the Copa Sudamericana to Independiente, and this year Flamengo want to reach a new continental final; the largest battle in South America, the Libertadores.

With Vinicius in the team they were unbeaten in second in Group D behind River Plate.

Now, they've already played the first leg of the Round of 16, a tough defeat (2-0) against Cruzeiro.

It's a very unfavourable result that they will try to reverse in the return leg at the Estadio Mineirao on August 30.

They still have another star

Lucas Paqueta is a 20-year-old who is destined to have a bright future in the game, and without Vinicius to take the spotlight, all eyes are on him.

It's an added pressure but that has not changed his game.

Paqueta is an offensive midfielder who can follow in the footsteps of his ex-colleague and make the leap to a big European team in no time.

He dominates the ball like few others, and already has five goals and one assist in 17 league matches this season.

Reinforcements in attack

The 45 million euros that saw Vinicius disembark to Madrid have been used to try to improve the team.

Vitinho arrived for 10m euros, a Brazilian soccer player of 24 years who, like so many others, left for Europe when he was young.

Now, with more age and experience at the elite level, he has returned to Brazil to improve the goalscoring figures of Flamengo.

Fernando Uribe, a striker aged 30, has also signed from Toluca for the team coached by Mauricio Barberi.

Lincoln, the new pearl that appears

If anyone thought that the Rio de Janeiro talent factory stopped with Vinicius, they're wrong.

Lucas Paqueta, who is already doing amazing things, has Lincoln by his side.

Just 17 years of age, Lincoln has already showed his potential in the youth categories at Flamengo and for the Brazilian national team.

He's a footballer who isn't the same prototype as Vinicius, because Lincoln is a pure striker who only lives for goals.

The youngster has the speed and a power of a player that would seem to have a promising future ahead.